Carton-feeding mechanism for carton folding and filling machines



A ril 12 1927.

p R. A. JONES CARTON FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CARTON FOLDING AND FILLING MACHINES 4 Sheets-sheaf, 1

Filed Jan. 22, 1925 1,624,740 A l 12,1927. v Rid-JONES CIARTONYFEYEDING MECHANISM FOR CARTON FOLDING AND Filed Jan, 2-2, 1925 FILLING MACHINES 4 Shets-Sheet 2 I ext Mine April 12, 1927. R JONES S M FOR CARTON FOLDING AND FILLING MAC HINES CARTON FEEDING MECHANI Filed Jan. 2291925 4 Sheets-sheaf 4 Patented t Qumran STATES.

c 1,624,740 PATENT. OFFICE.

'RUEL annnnsou roams-,or covnie'roiv, xnn'r'ocxv, AssreNon To a. A. .rorms & con

- Pm, me, or covmeron, KENTUCKY, A conroaarro v or KENTUCKY.

' canon-rhizome mncnams m non CARTON rorlmue AND FILLING mcnnms.

T imam filed January I This invention relates tocarton folding and fillirig machines and particularly to the carton feeding mechanism for operating upon a commercial foldable carton-1n knock- '5 down form, the cartons in the stack or pile being deposited in a magazine with .the feeding mechanism conditioning for and ejecting the. lowermost carton from the stack and delivering the cartons successively in aprogressive'ly timed order.

The cartons in knockdown position in bundles or packs are stacked in the magazine from .which the lowermost cartons are successively ejected horizontally from the magazine to be delivered and progressively operated upon for squaring or opening, filling and closing. The withdrawal or ejection of an individual carton from the magazine in the prevailing practice is by means of a recipedge engagement with the lowermost carton of the stack, the variation in edge thickness and adherence together of two ormore' carti-on in feeding, the shoulder end of the ejector engaging the edge of the carton being of a I most appropriate gage to provide a sufli cient ,abutmentfor pushing the carton and also slide beneath a superpbsed carton.

lief of the lowermost carton and relieving.

said carton of any frictional withdra resistance hvhlch would otl ierwise be countered.

' to provide mechanism for successively feed ing or ejecting cartons from a magazine arranged in card-like knock-down form and in a stack onpack deposited in a magazine, adapted to preliminarily depress the lower-' most carton to separate the same from the remainder of cartons of the stack, enabling an ejector, having aclaw "orsocket end, to engage about the edge of the carton to obrocating ejector having a definitely gaged' tons causing frequent choking and interrup- A With the present invention a portion of Therefore, an' object of invention is 22, 1925. Serial Ro -1,105.

.tain a secure hold against the'carton for Y forcibly and efficiently ej cting or' withdrawingthe carton from thzmagazine. Another object of the inventionis to depress the lowermost carton by mechanism connecting with the carton by a suc'tionhold, with the suction preferably developed by a moving piston for automatic intermitten action and time control.

Other objects and features of the invention will be more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevationof the opposite ends of the carton folding and filling machine showing the'improved carton feeding mechanism at .one end and the transmission mechanism at the opposite end of the machine, the machine parts, intermediate there-. of being omitted as they do not form a part of the present invention. Fi ure 2 is an enlarged end elevation of the ceding mechanism. Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Fige2 l p Figure4 is asection on line 4-4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 ure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged central vertical section through the suction nozzle which connects with the lower side of the lower-- most carton in the'magazine' for depressing a carton. 1 Figure 7 is a section on line 7 7 ofl igure 6.

l igure 8 is a section ure 4.

Figure 9 is a, detailv side. elevation of one of-the arms of the-carton ejector.

Figure 10 is a detail plan view thereof. The improvement primarily formsa part i of the type of carton folding and fill'mg machine shown and described'in' Patent No.

1,472,364, dated October 30, 1923. in which the carton-feeding mechanism of the present invention may be substituted for the feeding mechanism shown in the patent and as the present invention is only directed to the carton feeding mechanism, parts of an organized machine not forming a part of the feeding mechanism, are omitted, and for which referencefinay be had to said aforesaid patent.

Referring to is a section on line of Figon line 8-8 of Figthe drawings, the machine consists of a pair of end frames 1, 2 suitably connected and upon which a table frame 3 is secured. A pair of journal brackets 4,

5, respectively, are nibunted and secured upon the table at its opposite ends providing supports and journals for-the longitudinal shafting as a main driving shaft 6 which carries the various cams, not shown,fand transmission devices for operating the movable parts of the machine arranged and located above the table. The shaft 6 at one end carries a pulley 7 which i 'eferably connected to the shaft by clut ing devices, not shown. The main driving shaft 6 is provided with a spiral gear 8 in mesh with a spiral gear 9 fixed upon the upper end of a vertical shaft 10, the vertical shaft beingsuit-ably supported and journaled at one end in a bearing 11 secured to the bracket 5 and at its opposite end within a bearing- 12 secured to the end frame 2. Asecond spiral gear 13 is fixed to the opposite end of the vertical shaft 10 and in mesh with a spiral gear 14 fixed upon the horizontal vshaft 15 which extends longitudinally of the machine frame and beyond the opposite ends the cartons within the magazine.

thereof below the table. This shaft 15 transmits motion to a cross shaft 16 journaled in bearing brackets 17 fixed to the end frame 2, the shaft 15 having a spiral gear '18fixed thereonin mesh with a spiral gear 19 upon the shaft 16. The shaft 16 supports a plurality of cams and transmission devices for actuating or reciprocating the various parts of the machine arranged below the table but in the drawings only such transmission elements 'are shown as are employed for operating the feeding mechanism.

The cartons in a pack are stacked within a magazine located above the table at the receiving end of the machine so that the lowermost cartons of the stack can be successively ejected. The magazine preferably is of skeleton or slat form and comprises a pair of oppositely disposed vertical angle bars 20, 20 secured respectively to lateral arm extensions 21 extending from the table over-hanging portion of the end bracket 4. These angle bars form'the end guides for the cartons disposed in the magazine and are spaced apart to conform to the moasurements ofthe cartons. The forward limbs of the angle irons at their upper portion are bent slightly forward or outwardly as shown in Figure 1 to offer freedom in depositing A plurality of bars 22 fixed to the table overhanging portion of the end bracket 4 form op- *posite side guides or wall for the magazine.

.The cartons in upon a plurality of the magazine normally rest a pair of. intermediate base rails 23 each having at one .end an angle extension 24 for securing the rail to the lower end of its-respective angle bar 20, and 25 indicates base rails consisting of edge rails respectively fixed to the lower end of the angle bars 20 of the magazine and extend forwardly beyond the magazine, as shown in-Figure 4, for supporting and guiding the oppojite ends of the lowermost carton it is ejected from the magazine.

The cartons lie in a horizontal plane so that the lowermost carton can be moved in a forward direction beneath the front wall or slats 22 of the magazine by an ejector engaging the rear edge of the folded or flat carton, the ejector being slidably mounted upon a guide block 26 secured upon the table frame 3 beneath the magazine and extending longitudinally beyond the end of the table frame. its upper face having a longitudinal dove-tail groove for receiving a slide plate 2T. The side plate 27 supports and carries a forwardly ex-' magazine. The lower lip 31 is extended o provide an ample support for the carton and the forks or tines are suitably saaced apartfor a two-point engagement wit 1 the carton and prevent any distorting action upon the carton during its withdrawal movement" which would misdirect or improperly track the same upon the guide.-

rails or tracks 24.

' The slide plate with its ejector is reciprooated upon the slide block by a lever 32 'pivotally connected at one end upon an arm extending from a journal bracket 2-33 fixed 'to the end frame 1. The opposite end of "the lever 32 is pivota'ly connected to the link 34 which in turn is pivotally connected to an ear depending from the lower side of the slideplate 27. The lever 32 is actuated' by a lever 35 pivotally mounted upon the bracket 17 fixed to the end fra ne 2 and the levers 32 and 35 are connected by a lever 35. Thelever 35 is provided with a later-- ally extend ng pin 36 engaging into a cam groove 37 of the cam wheel fixed upon the crqss shaft 16. Thus thfe ejector is reciprocated upon each revolution of the cam wheel to permit the ejector to obtain a claw-like or socket engagement with the end edge of the carton and also tozseparate a lowermost carton of the stack or pi'exwithin the maga zine from its next. adjacent carton and insure a positive separation of the carton. The lowermost carton is slightly depressed or bowed intermediately. Thisalso arranges for the spacer blade to be passed bel l'i tween the cartons, the spacer blade sustaining theweight of thecartons within the magazine and relieving ton of such weight oi any frictio 1 resistance which they ma exert upon the withdrawing carton.- The depressing of the carton is accomplished by a reciprocating plunger 38 guidingly supported beneath the magazine within the slide block 26 and table frame 3, its upper end being novided with a nozzle 38 adapted to ear against the lower side of the 10 'most carton and by means of the su tion pressure connect with the carton to draw the same downwardly with the downward movement of the plunger. Thevp'lunger at its lower degree and hold the same in its'downward 1 or forward stroke limit for a definite timed period while the ejector is being moved forward for withdrawing carton. I The nozzle 38 isrepresented as an elastic or rubber cork fitting a central opening or ejectingthe 45 is engaged or securing the nozzle upon v the end of the L-conduit fitting 46 removably secured upon a laterally extending arm 47 fixed. to the upper end of the plunger rod 38. The L fitting'46 connects with one and of the tube 48, the oppositeend, of the lube connecting with a cylinder head 49 of the pump cylinder-50 with which the tube connects. I The pump cylinder is mounted upon the frame 3 by. a bracket 51. The cylinder is provided with an opening or valve port 52 at the appropriatelocation to relieve the suction when the piston 53in its descent opens said port, this being after the plunger has sufliciently depressed the carton and a spacer blade inserted between the lowermost carton and next adjacent carton, so as to avoid the lowermost carton from spring ing back into its normal sit'ion.

The piston 53 is secured to a rod 54 with .the lower end of the rod pivotally connected to one arm 0f the bell crank lever 55 fulcrumed upon a-tie rod 56 connecting the end frames. The opposite arm of the bell crank lever 55 pivotally connects with the connecting link 57 connecting withfthe crank gear 58 fixed upon the shaft 15. The

suction stroke-of the piston is timed to move slightlyjn ad ance of the descent of the plunger 38,. the nozzle'38 will obtain a suctio old with the lower side of the lowermost car-' connecting with an the carton before the plunger'is retreated and the suction is cut off before the plunger reaches its limit of retreat stroke. Likewise the o eration of the ejector is timed'so that it, wi l engage the edge of the carton before the" suction is cut ofl to insure acomplete socket or claw eng gement. between the carton and the ejector. r a

It is obvious other forms-of suction generating means may be employed but in utilizing apump as apart of -the feeding mechanism with its piston operated in timed movement with the, ejector and other elements of the feeding mechanism prov des for a a very serviceable, simple and eflicient means foracciirate timing control, particularly as, to starting and duration for high speed results. v I

While depressing the carton or before the suction pressure thereon has been released, aspacer member or blade 59 is moved be tween the separated cartons 'to positively separate the lowermost 'cartonfrom its next I adjacent carton and. to sustain the weight of the cartons in the magazine and thereby relieve the lowermost carton of such weight and also to provide atop guide for the low- 'ermost carton as it is being ejected from the magazine. The spacer blade, 59 is provided with a tongue end 60 which in the.

complete forward movementof the blade engages into a notch in the lower edge of I thecentral front wall slat 22 ofthe magatherethrough through whlch a flange nipple zine, so that the blade reaches the full width of the magazine and extends below the front -wall thereof so that the carton is guided ;for its entire width within the magazine and thereby prevents its forward end from buckling upward when the ejection of the carton commences;v The spacer blade '59 is fixed upon a crossplate 61 secured upon a 17 fixed upon the end frame 2. llhe lever is provided with a'laterally extending a pin engaged into a cam groove of a cam wheel fixed upon the shaft 16,- lVith each revolution of the cam wheel the slide 62- isgreciprocated' at a. defihitely timed interval coordinate thereto and with the operations of the ejector and carton depressinginechanisnn In the operation of ejecting a carton the plunger is moved upwardly to' bring the nozzle in engagement with the lowermost carton in the magazine. The cam actuates the plunger to permit the plunger to have a slight idle interval at its uppermost carton engaging elevation until the pump piston has moveddownw'ardly to-devel'op sufill ' ficient suction 'for .a holding connection of \Vith' the depressing of the carton at the proper' timed interval the separator blade 39 is moved and inserted between the two lowermost cartons and likewise the pump suction isreleased after the piston 53 passes beyond the ports 52- which timing is preferably before the plunger 38 reaches its limit of descent and after the ejector has engaged with the carton to insure the socket engagement between the lips and 31 of the ejector, so that when the carton is released by the nozzle it cannot spring out of engagement with the ejector. The nozzle is lowered after release fromthe carton to provide suflicient clearancetor the ejector. The movement of the separator blade is also preferably timed so that it has. reached the limit of its forward stroke before any perceptible advanceiof the carton is made,

which guides-the carton for the full width of the magaziiieto prevent any [interference to the carton passing beneaththe front wall of the magazine. 1" Q The propertiming of the various parts adds materially ,to the efficient ejecting of the cartons a high speeds. The mechanism is susceptible for feeding fiat or ."card-like products, as folded circulars or other sheets of paper and' for the disclosure, reteren e'is generally made to the ejecting of the collapsed flat carton which, however, isnot; intended to imply any limitation H aving descrlbed my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a

magazine for-supporting a stack of cartons, said magazlne having. a discharge opening 7 at its lower forward end, a slide block providing-a slide-way in the nature oi" a slots, beneath said magazine, a slide bar secured to the side of said slide block, a suct on.

nozzle adapted to move vertically and bow terposed betweenzthe withdraw-n carton and next adjacent cartons, an ejector operating a in said slider-way, yoked about the separator, adapted towmove sa d lowermost. cartorrlonv gitud nallya, a suction cylinder' adapted to ;supply the suction for said suction nozzle,

'illld means @for operating said members in i coordinatedrelationship;

2. In a device ofthe class described. a magazine for supporting astackot cartons,

said magazine having a discharge opening at its lower forward end, a-slide block having a slide-way therein beneath said magazine, a block adapted to move. longitudinally in said slide-way, a yoke-shaped ejector element secured to the topof sai-d'block, a

on said slide 'bar joined by a connecting.

plate to said separator, a suction nozzle ver tic-ally operable under the center of said magazine, a suction generating member, and means to coordinate the operation of said elements from a single source of power so that the suction nozzle hows the lowermost carton, the tongue-shaped separator is interpose lbetwecn that carton and the next adjacent carton, and the ejector comes forward, feeding said bowed and scpai'ated carton through the open lowerv forward end of the magazine. l

3. In a'device ot' the class described, a frame on which are mounted a magazine for supporting a stack of cartons. said magazine having a discharge opening at its lower forwardend, a slide block beneathsaid magazine, having a slide-way therein, a block adapted to reciprocate longitudinally in said slide-way, a yoke shaped ejector secured to jjthe topot said block, said ejector" having the forward ends of the arms of the yoke provided with lips adapted to engage a car-' ton, a' slide bar secured to the s de ofsaid slide block, a tongue-shaped separator between the arms of said yoke pusher, a, slide element on said slide bar joined by acon necting plate tosaid separator, av suction nozzle vertically reciprocating under the cen-' ter of said magazine, a piston and cylinder adapted to create suctionconnected by a rnbber hose to said suction nozzle, and means 'to coordinate the operation of said elements from a single source of power so that the suction nozzle bows the lowermost carton the tongue-shapedseparator is interposet between that carton and the next adjacent carton and the ejector comes, forward feedsaid withdrawn and separated carton v ir'ough the open lower forward end of the magazine.

4. In a machine of the class described, a magazine for supporting a stack of collapsed the lowern'iost carton, a separator guided'byv flat cartons, and a reciprocating ejector 0 said slide bar adapted to be horizontally 1n- 5 e i with the lower lip a socket for receiving the bowed carton and engaging about the "edge of the cartonto obtain a very sub- .stantial hold upon the carton and sustain release'fro'm the ejector as the ejector moves forwardly to convey the carton from the my name.

RUEL ANDERSON JONES.

the same aga nst vertical displacement or 

